Himachal govt. starts probe into college student’s death

4 JANUARY 2026

The Himachal Pradesh government suspended Ashok Kumar, assistant professor of geography, of a government college in Dharamshala following charges of sexual harassment linked to a 19-year-old Dalit student’s death in December 2025.
The police registered cases against the professor and three girl students of Government College, Dharamshala on allegations of ragging, and voluntarily causing hurt to the victim.
The State government has formed a four-member committee, led by Additional Director of Higher Education Harish Kumar, for fact-finding and conducting a preliminary inquiry into the death.
The inquiry will examine all aspects regarding the incident, including alleged sexual harassment by the professor and caste-based abuse, according to Director of Education Amarjeet Sharma’s order.
The victim died at a hospital in Punjab’s Ludhiana on December 26, 2025.
Her father alleged that on September 18, 2025, she was beaten up and intimidated by three students, and that Ashok Kumar, the professor, engaged in obscene acts with her.